Denver traded Kendall Watkins to Dallas on August 19, 1998…

The Exchange

Denver sent Kendall Watkins to Dallas on August 19, 1998 and received the Cowboys' 1999 fifth-round pick. The Broncos used that selection at No. 158 on David Bowens. The transaction was a simple veteran-for-pick exchange, with Dallas choosing immediate roster help and Denver taking a future draft opportunity that eventually produced the more notable player outcome. Denver Broncos Return Denver's return became Bowens, whose NFL career extended well beyond his initial stop with the Broncos. A team should not receive full credit for production a player later gave other clubs, but the ability to turn Watkins into a draft choice that produced an NFL-caliber player still reflects strong asset conversion. The fifth-round pick had limited certainty, and Denver extracted substantial realized player value from it. Dallas Cowboys Return Dallas received Watkins and immediate depth without surrendering an early selection. That keeps the Cowboys' decision understandable and limits the severity of the grade. The problem is that the acquired player did not create a comparable long-term return, while the selection sent to Denver became a player with a much more durable professional career. Value in Hindsight The gap is wider than in many late-round player-for-pick moves because the selected player clearly outlasted the immediate veteran return. Still, the transaction involved a fifth-round choice, so it should remain in the minor tier rather than being treated as a franchise-defining mistake. Denver simply received more value from the asset it acquired and made better use of the future opportunity. Final Verdict Denver earns a B and Dallas a C-. The Broncos converted Watkins into the pick that became Bowens and gained the stronger long-term football value. Dallas paid a manageable price for depth, but the comparison of realized outcomes favors Denver by a clear margin. The result is a solid Broncos win within the scale of a minor transaction.